Made in Canada Ferries and Rail Summit

from Papua New Guinea. But let's start off with this though. Okay, So warships have with reportedly about twelve hundred missiles to be aimed at Venezuela, and there are also reports of some lethal military actions against what is said to be cart tell ships in off the coast of Venezuela. One. Okay, George, Sorry, Donald Trump has not absolutely proven that Venezuela is once shipping the dangerous drugs across the Caribbean into the United States and thus those also finding a way further north

into Canada. He has not proven that, and yet he is taking lethal action against people. He is boarding ships and killing people.

BC ferry because it is a Chinese shipbuilder. Well and the CEO of VC Fairies, he also brings up brings up a point with that criticism as he pushes back that there are gaps in the Canadian ship building industry that need to.

it is technically a government contract. This is BC Ferries is a transit company for British Columbia, so the money would have been there. He was given a budget or came up with a budget of what he could spend for that ferry. Why didn't a Canadian ship builder at least submit a.

building our commuter trains and ferries. They're being built right here in Canada. Why are they being forgotten about?

one point five degree limit alive. It goes on to to he's going to go on and talk about spending one point three trillion dollars?

as it hits the market. Two, limiting the amount of single use products they go across that come with food, packaging whatever, limiting that finding ways to reuse those sort of packages, boxes, whatever things come in.

That's what we can do as human beings to help make climate change a real thing and limit the rise in in climate to the one point five degrees that mister Guerreras.

Arsener Middle to Fasco. So first, we lost the slides here, sorry, so Oursler and Middle. We're part of the world's leading integrated steel and mining company Arsler Middle, who has manufacturing facilities in fifteen countries, over one hundred and twenty five thousand employees working to supply customers in over one hundred

and twenty five countries. In twenty twenty four, we produced a total or we totaled over fifty four million shipments of steel tons fifty four million tons of steel and to ensure we continue to support our customers with their developing needs, we have fourteen research centers with sixteen hundred and fifty full time researchers. Next slide, Please thank you. In Canada, Arsler Middle has more than ten thousand employees

and supports another forty thousand indirect jobs. We have operations in flat rolled, tubular, automotive, tailored blanks and long products steel, and we also have extensive iron iron ore mines in Quebec. Defasco was founded in nineteen twelve as Dominion Steel Casting's company, and over the past one hundred and thirteen years, people have been and continue to be a key differentiator in our success. Our product is steel and people are truly our strength. Health and safety is a core value here

for us here at Arsler middle Da Fasco. This encompasses two things, both physical safety as I mentioned for everybody who comes onto our site and works on our site, as well as mental and physical wealth. Our senior leaders do over fifteen thousand shop floor layered safety talks a year, with the focus on talking to our employees on how we can improve safety and then actioning from those discussions.

In Hamilton, we're the region's largest private employer of nearly forty five hundred employees with an additional twenty thousand indirect jobs that we support. We make one hundred and thirty grades and produce four point five million tons of steel annually. We have three to four billion in procurement annually with more than three thousand suppliers, where the majority are located here in Hamilton. Since twenty fifteen, we've invested more than

five billion into our facilities. That includes a new heavy gauge galvanizing line, additional capabilities with aluminum silic can product at our Automotive Number five galvanizing line, as well as modernization of our hot mill, which continues to make it besting class. In twenty twenty three, we launched our ex

carb Recycled and renewably produced product. This is a product made with a minimum seventy percent scrap and one hundred percent renewable energy and it helps provide our customers with the low lower scope three carbon high And when you compare to global and North American averages, I am you going to let.

So again it's our pleasure to have you here today and we wish you all the success.

back when as Minister of Foreign Affairs. So, Minister, I'm going to hand it over to you for opening remarks.

very special to me. My bonding moment was during the first NAFT negotiations or renegotiation, and then when we face the two three two tariffs, and that was a very testing time. Things are really testing now a game. And you know, we were talking with our MP's who I'm going to introduce in a minute beforehand, but my friend and colleague Lisa Heppner said in our pre chat that steel is foundational to Canada, and steel is is about jobs and the people who make the steal. It's also

about our national economic security and our national security. Producing these foundational industrial products steel and aluminum is essential to Canada. And look, we're here at Dafasco, which is the largest flat steel producer. So you guys don't need me to tell you how challenging things are right now, but I want you to know that I recognize your amazing MPs, recognize your amazing mayor recognizes how great the challenge is, and we are here today because I'm the Transport Minister.

We have another transport minister here two and we know that our transport industries, rail maritime transport use a lot of steel and aluminum. As a country, we need to very very quickly get really really good at using the steel and aluminium that we're so good at producing across our entire economy today, with a focus on rail and maritime transport. So that's what we're here to talk about.

supporting the steel and aluminum sector. Juvus de Lassier de Landistrie de la lumignum si cluciel again seclucielle pour les sector transport, le travaur don les enduce three d aluminium Saint Helmont and port.

kind of fierce urgency that you are feeling. What makes me really happy is the way that Canadians, that people here have felt that same urgency, and the way that we have had people from across the country users of steel and aluminum in rail transport, in marine transport, who have recognized that now is a moment that we have to change how we do things and reorient our own economy to be using our own steel and aluminum. And really it's that conversation that is what we are here

to do and here to talk about. I had a conversation yesterday about this meeting with the Prime Minister, and we reminded each other that one of the things that he said during the election campaign that people responded to with the greatest excitement and energy was when he said we as Canadians can give ourselves more than any country can take away from us. We need to rely on ourselves. We need to build Canada. That is what we are

here to do. I'm now just quickly want to recognize some great colleagues who are here with me, and I'd like you to stand up who are here with me to support this effort. I've already mentioned my friend Lisa Heffner, John Paul Danco, Aslam Rana and sema A Khan. These are our Hamilton and Oakville uh MPs. I want you guys to know they talk to me every single day about what you need and they are here to be

part of this work. In this conversation, I am also joined by a guy who spends every single day working hard for Canadian workers, and that is my colleague and friend, John Zarachelli. Yeah, we have other orders of government here too, and I'm going to give them a shout out in a minute. But before I do that, I'm going to ask John if he wants to say a few words.

I think it's really critical. You know, unions, industry and government are coming together here to help help deal with this very strategic problem. So I look forward to the conversation today. My one message to my my colleagues from the union sector who have sometimes somehow strategically put themselves at the back of the room. Aha, make your voices heard today. Please, we need you, your workers need you. And I just want to thank everybody for coming here today.

Thank you to colleagues from the other provinces to those online, and thank you Minister Freedom for this leadership.

people joining us virtually. And I do want to give a shout out to our parliamentary colleague, member of the Transport Committee, she Nuian, who is here, so thank you very much, thanks for your hard work, and I want to turn it over to my colleague, our Ontario minister, proud me Sarkaria please.

and give everybody away. She's been a very strong advocate at the provincial level, very quickly, very strong advocate of Hamilton and the sector that supported steel, aluminum and many others. And we've worked very very closely together in the past couple of very quickly in the past couple of months to to move forward on some great projects and initiatives. And I also want to give a big shout out to a Deputy minister, Doug Jones, who is also here

for leading it. Lenny for the Minister of Transportation at a Department of Transportation here provincially. And I think Michael Lindsay will also be joining us shortly. I don't see him in the room, but I think he will be here. But you know, our commitment in this conversation is real. We want to be a strong partner as we move forward.

You know, we were elected on a you know, a promise to protect Ontario from tariffs, but we also see this as an opportunity here domestically to support our industries in general. You know, Marra Horbath, I can't begin to you know, appreciate or understand the challenges your city is under. You know, Mary cares deeply about the community and her city and the challenges. We've had many discussions on, for example, transit projects. But I know where the Premier as well.

You know, we're all in this together. The message from the Premiere from the day one has always been that we're in this together. How do we become more resilient. How do we build an economy that protects not only the workers, but also ensures generational opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. One of the things that you know, our government was able to help support was very recently and I think we need to do more of is are a TTC line to trains being built up in

thunder Bay. And I know some of the team from Alstam is here today, but where we have Canadian options and we can support Canadian workers, even if it does cost us a little bit more, I think we need to do everything we can to support those workers, to support and ensure that those jobs remain in Canada, in Ontario in that matter. So I think this conversation that we're going to have today we'll build upon that. You know, we've invested seventy billion dollars over the next ten years

into rail infrastructure across metrolinks. So whether that's Lerts in Hamilton, whether that's going to be Lert's and subways in Toronto, this is going to be a strong driver of the economy and we need to continue to build that transportation infrastructure.

But also very recently also he put forward our two hundred and fifteen million dollar shipbuilding program, which I know is really really important to places like Hamilton and also in Ontario, and I want to thank my colleagues, you know, Monica for also championing in that project here given the opportunities that exist not only in Hamilton but across Ontario. So we look forward to working with Minister Freeland and

her team. I think you'll be hearing from the Premier very very shortly, and we hope to continue to build upon this momentum as we continue to protect Ontario and move forward. So Minister Freeland, thank you for your leadership for bringing this together, having us here being a part of the conversation. We look forward to working with you.

a chance. And then we do have, you know, really strong municipal representation and provinces from across the country will give them a chance to speak to But I think Premier Ford was going to join us at nine point thirty and he's a busy guy, so okay, so Pablo interrupt me when he's ready, because I think I know probably the I both know what a big believer he is in this effort to make clear to everyone that Canada is not for sale and that we are going

to buy Canadian and build. And I'm really glad that he's going to have a chance to be part of our conversation. I am really glad that Minister Elvis Lovelace is with us. Thank you for coming and we would love to hear from you. It is great to have Atlantic, Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador here.

importance of it. And mister Freling, you talked about the urgency and the skeptical, the essential time story of this, and it is essential and it is urgent as we are in testing times, as you alluded to, and we know there are union leaders and business leaders. The mayor's pleasure to be here with you. You talked about great workers and the heart of the economy, and I saw on one of the slides earlier it said people are differentiator. So that is the differentiator, our people, So I thought

that was very important to state that this morning. I'm not going to say much more, but the give more than can be taken away are very very powerful words, and that's doable if we're partners. And now I'm here as Newfoundland and labradors rep and proud to be a partner in Canada, best country in the world. And at that I'll end it and open it up for others to have a few words.

that is very important to Manitoba's economy. So I just want to leave the words there that Manitoba continues to not only find its way to have a strong role in growing our national economy, but also to understand that our industries have a significant role and that can continue to bolster and support them means bolstering and supporting our entire national economy. So thanks very much, looking forward to a conversation today and looking forward to strengthening the relationship

between Manitoba and the rest of our great cognation. Thank you very much.

and highways and bridges. You know, folks, we're in a battle like we've never seen against President Trump. You know, President Trump, in my opinion, wants to destroy our country, get every manufacturer they possibly can down to the US, and I'm hearing it, I'm feeling it right now. But we need to stand up. We have two choices. See either roll over and get run over by this guy and you know that would yet, or we stand up

and fight like we've never fought before. I take the latter approach, and I think the government plays a massive role. I always say government doesn't create jobs, but they create the environment and conditions for companies to come here and invest and thrive and prosper and grow. And that's what we're doing here in Ontario. We reduce the cost of doing business for companies to come here by eleven billion dollars each and every single year. We've never ever raised

a tax. Tax is a worse thing you could ever do to people, the worst thing you could ever do to businesses. You grow your revenues, you don't tax the you know the pants of companies. You do a tax reduction to corporations. What they do they invest it into their people, into technology, into their infrastructure via buildings, buy

new equipment and they'll continue to grow. As talking to my minister Vic Fidelli over the weekend, he said, our pipeline is full of large, large companies coming to invest billions of dollars. The foreign direct investment last year alone in Ontario there was over four hundred and this is just foreign this is not everyone that's expanding within Ontario.

There's over four hundred and nine companies that invested worldwide in Ontario, creating roughly an investment of thirty nine zero point eight seventy five billion, So let's say it was forty billion dollars, creating twenty five thousand jobs. This is how we create the environment. We have to send a message, minister and right across the country that we aren't going to be taxing people We're going to reduce taxes, put money back into the people's pockets and when you do that,

they'll go out and spend it and stimulate. The worst place you can ever give your money, in my opinion, is the government, all three levels, municipal, provincial and federal, because I feel businesses and people know how to spend their money a lot wiser than government.

But we don't even produce our own steel rails here in Ontario or Canada. That's what we need to start. Focusing on the steel sector is very simple in my opinion. You know, when you have steel manufacturing countries that their domestic use. For example, the US, the use seventy to eighty percent of their steel, and EU European Union they use sixty five to seventy five percent. Well guess what Canada uses. Canada uses thirty five percent of the domestic steel,

which is absolutely ridiculous. And I'll tell you that. One of the reasons why they're doing it. It's a quota system. At one time it was sixty percent quota. Anything over and on top of that they'd get tariffed and then thank you Prime Minister dropping the fifty percent. But it's still not good enough. We need to drop those quotas down to twenty five percent. It's absolutely critical so we can start using domestic steel. I'm tired about hearing.

We spend on procurement roughly about thirty billion dollars a year, and then over on top of that the two hundred billion dollars on infrastructure, directing any single company that wants to do business with a federal, provincial, or even municipal governments that they have to use Canadian products no matter what, because they always come up with an excuse when it goes out to companies, be it PCL or Eliston, the two big ones, while we went down to the US

or Mexico to buy windows. And I'm tired of it. We need to pull together. We have to make sure we open up trade. We've signed ten deals with territories and provinces around the country to make it actually free trade and fair trade across our country. That will stimulate our country. I'm hearing numbers anywhere from four to six percent on our GDP, hundreds of billions of dollars within our country.

spoke to a big good company. The biggest problem with them compared to their US division, is the regulatory burden that government puts on these companies. We need to cut red tape, cut regulations, stimulate the economy and that's what we're going to do here in Ontario. And we look forward to partnering with everyone across the country. But again, Minister, we all have to stop talking and we have to start seeing action and start moving and making announcements literally

on a weekly basis, right across this country. And I appreciate everyone's time, but we need to start moving and start announcing projects. So I appreciate everyone's time. Here, can I leave you with one more thing, Minister. Little things make a difference on the aluminum sector. So no one realizes our aluminum cans are all produced down in the US.

The aluminum gets shipped from Quebec to the US, and I'm thinking we use billions of cans, no matter if it's the beverage cans or beer cans, other types of cans. We're now on shoring equipment to manufacture cans right here in Ontario. Same with the tin cans. We got together all the users of tin cans because the tin comes from to Fasco, gets shipped to them down to the US, gets converted and shipped up. So we're going to be manufacturing tin cans. I encourage every single province and territory

do the exact same thing. Start on shoring everything we can. Unleash our critical minerals. Unleash are all. We be the wealthiest country in the world and it can't be taken fifteen years to get a damn shovel on the ground to get critical minerals out when everyone else is doing it for two years. So sorry for my last little rant, but I can go on for another hour. But you know, we need to fix the problem ourselves and create that environment.

So thank you everyone. I appreciate your time of confidence and everyone on the line here. But the biggest problem of government. We talk too much.

United Nations. He makes history as the first to arrive here, and more importantly, on his own accord, he accepted our invitation.

Many of the world views that he's been advocating expressly from the global interest perspective on leaving no one behind, uplifting people out of poverty, fighting for climate change and climate justice, preservation of biodiversity and forestry, sustainable use of our os and resources, keeping peace at all France on p ANDG contexts the maintenance of Bugnville Peace Agreement, another peace program that has been run that has a strong input by United Nations and the continued involvement to us

has been recognize and for him to come all the way gives recognition to the work of United Nations in the maintenance of our democracy that's for fifty years on. So, Excellency, we welcome you once again to the country. The media is here is a papaiguinea in Australian Neguleian pacifica media they at your pleasure, please speak to.

fifty years of Papua New Guinea independence and democracy. Over the past five decades, you have taken on a profound task to weave your breathtaking diversity into one people and to one country that leaves no one behind. That process is by no means, Zizi, but it is the spirit of unity and dialogue that the world needs today. This is a moment of great turbulence, from conflicts to the

climate emergency, to economic instability and inequality. Papuo New Guinea has felt the pin at these challenges, but you also provide a model for solutions. The Bougainville Peace Agreement has now been in place for twenty four years. Its durability is a symbol of what can be achieved through perseverance and mutual respect. And United Nations has walked with you on this journey from weapons disposal to the twenty nineteen referendum, and you will continue to stand beside you as the

next phase begins. I salute the people of Buganville as they prepare to cast their votes in the fifth's autonomous election since the agreement, and wish them a safe and rewarding folling day. And they also welcome the adoption of the National Prevention Strategy on Violence. Every person deserves to live without fear, regardless of their tribe or gender. This

strategy is an important step towards that future. For more than a decade, the NPS Building Fund has supported complementary efforts including conflict resolution, sustainable agriculture and access to well scare. I will have the opportunity to witness this work firsthand around the country, where the United Nations is honored to.

Parliament to address it. The contributions of women to this great nation deserve our full recognition and respect. Ladies and gentlemen of the media, papuor New Guinea has long led the charge for climate justice. Your country does not contribute to climate change. On the contrary, you absorbs you too, but is in the first line of its dramatic impact. You have emphasized that climate change is a driver of poverty and have a strong moral voice for climate finance.

Your role in the Pacific Islands Forum declarations on sea level rise help to shape the global debate as the UN Climate Conference approaches in Brazil. The world must move faster to keep to one point five degrees limit alive, and this means an immediate turning point leading to a dastic reduction of emissions that can no longer wait. The countries of the G twenty have a particular responsibility as

they are responsible for eighty percent of climate pollution. Simultaneously, developed countries must follow through on their commitments on climate finance, with a special emphasis on doubling adaptation finance to allow countries and communities to build resilience. The Loss and Damage Fund must also mobilize a very meaningful volume of resources,

including through innovative sources of finance. I applaud the decision of the Pacific Countries to launch the Pacific Resilience Facility last year, and I appeal to the international community to fund it so that it reaches its full potential. The Cup in Brazil must also produce a credible path to achieve the one point three trillions dollars objective decided in Baku. Just as climate finance is essential, so is development finance.

I applaud Papua New Guineas drive to implement a substenable development goals action that must be matched by the entire global community. I ratetrade my strong appeal for the reform of the international financial architecture that must reflect the world of today with a much larger participation of developing countries

in its institutions and their decision making processes. This is a basic condition for to better serve countries like yours, and this includes re election on debt relief tripling, the lending capacity of multi leederal development banks, and the mobilization of private capital at scale to the service of developing countries. Dear members of the media, once again, I congratulate papor New Guinea on fifty years of independence and democracy and

thank you for your commitment to multilateralism. United Nations stands in solidarity with you now and in the future for your vision, your ambition and the lessons you teach us all. Thank you to us all get.

And uh, please be easy on Nam the local media if you have one or two uh questions for him or myself?

My question is do you think Australia is responsible for all the welfare of these silent seekers.

our local representatives Minister Harris MPP Dixon MPP Riddell. Thank you for joining us and for your continuous support of our region and its workforce. Premiere for It. Minister Puccini, thank you for being here and for your government's unwavering support of the Ontario manufacturing sector. The Skills Development Fund is a powerful investment in our province's future, including Air Bosses. We are deeply grateful for your leadership and expanding access

to this vital resource. At air Boss, we believe our people are our greatest strength. The funding we received enabled us to enhance training programs, attract and retain top talent, and ensure our workforce is equipped with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving industry. As an example of this, our state of the art VR forklift training simulator.

This is not just investment in our company, It's an investment in the lives and careers of hundreds of Ontarians, including many New Canadians, who are proud to call this facility their workspace. We are proud to be an Ontario made manufacturer with a team of over three hundred and fifty skilled worker right here in Kitchener, producing hundreds of millions of pounds of rubber annually for critical sectors such

as automotive, healthcare, infrastructure, and quite importantly defense. As you can see from the various products around us, our defense division is truly unique as it's focused on equipment that will protect our bravest men and women in uniform. Minister Puccini, your support through this funding has empowered us to build a stronger, more resilient workforce Thank you for recognizing the value of our team and for helping us grow Ontario's

innovation economy. Premiere forward, your vision for a competitive, self reliant Ontario inspires us. We are honored to contribute to that vision and grateful for your need support. Thank you both, and thank you to everyone for being here and being part of this exciting journey. Well, I'll pass it over to Mayor for Benovich to share a few remarks.

being here today as well. You have an excellent team representing the government here in Kitchener and throughout Waterloo region. And I can use your words our local minister Mike Harris, he's he's a champ in terms of all of his support and of course pH just Dixon and MPP Brand do an incredible job of representing your government here in our community. Today's announcement falls a day after Labor Day, which is appropriate as your government works to invest in

the workers of tomorrow as we protect Ontario's economy. Today marks an important day for our community, the City of Kitchener, in all of Waterloo Region. And I'm proud to stand here today with my colleagues and Chair Redman, who's here, as we celebrate a bold investment in the people, the industries and the future of our community by your government.

Premier Forward and the Government thank you for your investment of over twelve point nine million through the Skills Development Fund Training Stream, a commitment that will help more than fifty thousand residents in our region gain the skills they need to thrive in high demand sectors like construction, manufacturing, skilled trades, education and health innovation. And I know a number of those companies are here in our community. Today

is really about more than just a funding announcement. It's a declaration of confidence in our workforce and a recognition of the resilience and ingenuity that define Kitchener and Waterloo Region. Whether you're a student just starting out, a worker looking to upscale, or an employer seeking talent. This investment opens doors to opportunity and stability. We know that global economic pressures such as the recent US tariffs can shake local economies,

but today's announcement sinds a clear message. Ontario is standing strong with its workers. The province is ensuring that the people of this area have the tools to adapt, grow and succeed no matter what challenges come our way. Let me be clear, today is not just about jobs. It's about dignity, security, and the promise of a better tomorrow. It's about building a Kitchener where everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, has the opportunity to contribute, to grow,

and to succeed. So on behalf of our community. A heartfelt thank you to you, Premier and all those who made this investment possible. Together we're building a stronger, more competitive Ontario and Kitchener's proud to be at the heart of that vision. And now I'd like to turn it over to another key part of the Premier's team here in the region, someone who had just introduced the PA to Education.

our trade and manufacturing history. From the nineteenth cent throughout the early twentieth century, this region, more than many others, frankly on Ontario was a center of excellence for manufacturing, design, trades, etc. Whether it was textiles, mills, furniture, electronics, breweries. You know, we had legions back then of a lot of German and Scottish immigrants that brought their skills here, you know, trained their descendants, trained others, and made this region what

it is, which is even to today. I think roughly seventeen percent of our local economy is based on manufacturing, which is much higher than the provincial average. So when you look at this incredibly exciting announcement and what is bringing to the region, I view it as carrying on what is already our provincial legacy of excellence in this area, which I'm proud to say I think for the most part we have carried on in a largely unbroken train.

But with the support of Premier Ford and Minister Paccini, we are doing even more now to create that excellence in our history of immigration and innovation and teaching and

learning and expanding is only going to continue. And what I think is so exciting about this, in which I know that Premier Ford and and Minister Puccinia have been so focused on, is how much this also supports this idea of sort of patriation and repatriation of what it is to be Canadian made, Canadian designed, Ontario made, Ontario designed,

and that includes our labor force and their excellence. So I am so appreciative to the government for, like Mayor Barry said, sort of our vote of confidence in this region, I have absolute confidence that, after two hundred plus years of doing it right and doing it better than many other places, that we will continue to do that. So thank you all so much for coming, and it is my pleasure to induce Minister Harris.

David has been a huge, huge supporter of Waterloo Region since becoming Minister of Labor, Training, Immigration and Skills Development. We've brought SDF funding into the region before. I see some folks from the IBW who have been recipients of it, and it's great to be able to see some more

homegrown organizations taking advantage of this funding. As Barry said, a little over twelve million dollars is going to be spread across many different organizations here in the region and it's just incredible to be able to use the talent, the tools and everything we do here in Waterloo Region. As Jess said, we do everything just a little bit better, I like to think, and we're such a forward thinking region.

There's such a rich history of manufacturing here and it's just great to be able to celebrate this investment throughout the region here today, so I won't take up too much more time than that. All I wanted to do was just thank you Premier Ford for being here with us, of course, and for Grenn for hosting us today and the amazing team you have assembled here. I think three hundred and fifty some odd employees calling this place home. So it's just it's great to be able to be

here and celebrate with you all. And with that to kind of make our official announcement, I'll turn it over to Minister Puccini. David please, thank you, thank you.

And you know, to the Chair and the Mayor, thank you for being partners with us in this and to air Boss for hosting. This is my second or third time here and I really appreciate the incredible job you do and your commitment to training your workforce and your commitment to excellence. Air Boss is a vital part of

our manufacturing sector. It's companies like these that help make Ontario a leader, powered by a world class workforce we're so proud of today, and supporting that workforce means preparing them for the future, especially at a time when we're facing all sorts of external threats, when one in three trades people are set to retire in the next decade,

We've got to respond to the challenge. And I often reflect back, you know, as I visit places like this, at my own family story and my own grandfather who

immigrated here, who was a steel worker. We were down with the steel workers last week in Hamilton, and this premier gets and has an incredible pride in our country and nationalism, and gets that to ensure that we achieve that same vision that he had what drew him to this country, part of a nation that built things where you could stand tall in the world stage with your Canadian flag and say we're a country that stands true

to our international commitments, a country that produces the best talent. Now, I can't deal with things at the national level. But what Premier Ford can do is ensure provincially we're doing our part. And we've seen a nation builder in Premier Forward in making sure we can once again achieve that potential, that potential that my grandfather saw, and that's ensuring a

talent pipeline, recognizing that through the pandemic. Premier took us through that or the aggressions we see south of the border where every day it seems policies are changing on the fly.

that they can work freely around this country. It's crazy to think you'd be stuck at the border, in visible provincial border for months for the engineers, the architects and so many that we need. And it's this Premier. That's refusing to to that's acknowledging, I would say, not refusing, but acknowledging that investing in our workers means having their backs, means recognizing that despite our global challenges, we can and must train our next generation and invest in their training.

And that's what our Skills Development Fund is doing. It's empowering a next generation. And you know, I heard the story of Dean from this this morning, and I want to mention that because this is coming full circle. This Premier brought back skills training in high schools. We've mandated a tech class, We've brought back trades into high schools.

And somewhere along the line, previous liberal governments lost sight of that they wanted to train an next generation of service workers, turning their backs on manufacturing workers of this province.

And that's what we're going to do here at AirBoss that new VR you heard, making sure our workers are well trained to thrive, not just succeed, but thrive on the global stage, because as the Premier is often said, it's a bet in our workers, and that's a bet I'll take any day, because we have the best workforce in the world and there's nobody that better recognizes that than this Premier through his investment with the Skills Development Fund.

election and spectacular. And we have to make sure that the federal government, the provincial government, inicipal governments buy your products, no matter if it's defense or medical or whatever it might be. Also want to acknowledge Jack and Frank and Chris and the whole team at AirBoss for hosting us today.

threatens our province for decades to come. Our plan to protect Ontario will make our province the most competitive, most resilient, most self reliant economy in the G seven, so we can attract new jobs and investment and protect our workers. You know, I always I always say, you know, people need to hear hope, and we're going to give them hope. Last year, the foreign direct investment in our country, our province, I should say just our province, not including companies that

are here already. There was over four hundred and nine foreign companies from foreign countries came to invest thirty nine point eight seven five billions of forty billion dollars and created twenty five thousand jobs. But we have to create the environment and conditions for companies to come here and they thrive and prosper and grow. And when that happens, the people a part of their team will thrive, prosper and grow. I've been over and over with a federal government.

Let's create that climate. Let's start putting money back into the hardworking people's pocket instead of the government. Put it back into companies so they can buy a new equipment and build the infrastructure they need and expand their technology.

We're expanding our plan to build Ontario by investing more than two hundred billion dollars to build roads, highways, bridges, schools, hospitals, so we can keep workers on the job and get shovels in the ground on critical infrastructure projects which is going to be happening here, which I'll get to you in a minute, that includes some major projects in Waterloo region.

This summer, we announced an additional investment to support the planning and construction of a new Waterloo Regional Health Network hospital, which is part of our nearly sixty billion dollar plan to build an upgrade more than fifty hospitals. Earlier this year, we accelerated or celebrated, i should say, the completion of

the Cambridge Memorial Hospital redevelopment. It's the largest redevelopment in the hospital's history, supported by two hundred and twenty million provincial dollars investment, sorry, two hundred and twenty million dollars a provincial investment. We're delivering on two way all day go service to Kitchener, and we're investing four billion dollars in infrastructure to support new housing, including over thirty one million in region of Waterloo, to enable over eighteen thousand,

five hundred new homes. Sorry, folksing got something caught there. You know our plan to build more homes and we're going to continue to focus on building more homes. I'm looking forward to visiting Mayor Berry and Mary McKay got their city halls to present them with a check from the Building Faster Fund so we can get even more

homes built in Waterloo Region. By investing in infrastructure and getting these contracts out the door faster, We're supporting Ontario workers while using Ontario made products in our plan to build, and that's just one part of our plan to protect workers. Last month, Minister Puccini and I also announced an investment of seventy million dollars to support workers who have been laid off because the tariff disruptions or whose jobs are

currently at risk and across the province. We're investing two point five billion through the Skills Development Fund to support workers with job training to help them find good paying jobs. Today, I'm pleased to announce over twelve point four million for the Skills Development Fund to help train more than fifty thousand workers students for good paying, in demand careers across

Waterloo Region surrounding areas. This investment will support ten projects and key sectors, including a project led by Canadian Tooling and Machining Association deliver work placements for eighty participants, another project led by Blue Branch to train fifty people in

the modular housing industry. I'd want to thank all the incredible organizations that will be delivering these training programs, including Grand Valley Construction Association, Medical Innovation Exchange, Knowledge Huck Delta Elevator Company, Advanced Mill Rates, get In Corporation, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local eight oh four, which I see right over there, and the Christian Labor Association of Canada.

All of you are helping us protect Ontario workers in this critical time.